Calico Orpington

[Henderly]

Would anyone happen to know how to make calico colored orpingtons? I use to have a couple but they have been taken by a fox. The breeder I got them from doesn’t breed chickens anymore and I can’t find them so was going to try and make them. I’ve never done breeding before so i’m new to this prospect. Maybe a jubilee color crossed with buff or white orpington? Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

You could try asking the breeder how they got their calico orpingtons, and if they know how to breed for the calico color.

 

[Henderly]

You could try asking the breeder how they got their calico orpingtons, and if they know how to breed for the calico color.

I sent them an email through their website but I think they must have stopped using it when they stopped their chicken business

 

[The Moonshiner]

Yes breed jubilee to buff.
The pics look like they're basically jubilees without the mahogany.
The offspring will have one copy of mahogany so they will be darker then the buff color you want and only one copy of mottling so they won't be mottled. They'll also have one copy of dark tail so they'll have black tails but not fully black as the jubilee.
Cross those offspring together. You'll want to keep chicks without mahogany. They'll be easy to tell because they'll be buff and the ones that get one or two copies will be reddish and red.
Of course you'll want two copies of mottling and thats easy because those will show mottling.
You also want the black tails probably so keep and breed towards the ones with the most black tails or if you don't want black tails but buff tails breed that direction.
Calicos are supposed to have access white so breed the ones with the most white.
So hatch a ton of chicks and hope you get a few that have all the genes you need to line up and the ones you don't not show up.
If thats hard to follow let me know.

Edit to add. What i called black tail is db. It takes the black from tail so buff is buff instead of buff Columbian. You'll be getting rid of that gene from the buff. And losing the mahogany from the jubilee.

 

[Henderly]

Yes breed jubilee to buff.
The pics look like they're basically jubilees without the mahogany.
The offspring will have one copy of mahogany so they will be darker then the buff color you want and only one copy of mottling so they won't be mottled. They'll also have one copy of dark tail so they'll have black tails but not fully black as the jubilee.
Cross those offspring together. You'll want to keep chicks without mahogany. They'll be easy to tell because they'll be buff and the ones that get one or two copies will be reddish and red.
Of course you'll want two copies of mottling and thats easy because those will show mottling.
You also want the black tails probably so keep and breed towards the ones with the most black tails or if you don't want black tails but buff tails breed that direction.
Calicos are supposed to have access white so breed the ones with the most white.
So hatch a ton of chicks and hope you get a few that have all the genes you need to line up and the ones you don't not show up.
If thats hard to follow let me know.

Edit to add. What i called black tail is db. It takes the black from tail so buff is buff instead of buff Columbian. You'll be getting rid of that gene from the buff. And losing the mahogany from the jubilee.

Thank you, that was very informative and seems straightforward. I’ll be starting this project after I move so i’ll save this information. It’ll be fun to see how they turn out Thanks again!

 

[NandosMom]

Would anyone happen to know how to make calico colored orpingtons? I use to have a couple but they have been taken by a fox. The breeder I got them from doesn’t breed chickens anymore and I can’t find them so was going to try and make them. I’ve never done breeding before so i’m new to this prospect. Maybe a jubilee color crossed with buff or white orpington? Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

Are these hens? Trying to compare a youngster I have to see if its a roo or hen.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Are these hens?

The birds pictured appear to be pullets, so female.

 

[NandosMom]

Would anyone happen to know how to make calico colored orpingtons? I use to have a couple but they have been taken by a fox. The breeder I got them from doesn’t breed chickens anymore and I can’t find them so was going to try and make them. I’ve never done breeding before so i’m new to this prospect. Maybe a jubilee color crossed with buff or white orpington? Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

Did you have any luck? I have a Calico Orp rooster I need to part with asap! Southern PA.

 

[The Moonshiner]

So did you decide your youngster was a cockerel?
Be nice to see pics of what you have. Never seen this variety except the pic here.

 

[NandosMom]

He definitely

is. Started crowing and courting ladies.